“The best things in life are often waiting for you at the exit ramp of your comfort zone.” – Karen Salmansohn

We all know what it’s like to find comfort in the familiar. We love our own beds after a long trip, or our favorite restaurant with the perfect table by the window.

But being open to new experiences can open up new possibilities. And favoring the familiar doesn’t always serve you well when it comes to your portfolio.

For example, though investing only in the U.S. stock market may feel more comfortable (and patriotic), you will see from the infographic below that the U.S. is not typically the top global market performer.

Another article illustrates how often the worst days in the stock market are followed closely by the best days. If you pull out of stocks when those down days make you uncomfortable, you will likely miss the next upswing. The lesson here: Long-term investors need to learn how to deal with being uncomfortable from time to time.

The third article below has some pertinent and useful money advice for new graduates, and we also have an article about 25 essential drives for a U.S. road trip if you are so inclined.

Please enjoy and share these articles with family and friends. And a very Happy Father’s Day to all the dads!

Investing in U.S. stocks can make us feel patriotic — like we are supporting our home team. But you could potentially miss out on more impressive global returns. Fighting “home bias” can help enrich your portfolio performance and therefore your retirement. And instead of worrying about which countries might underperform or outperform, we believe you should own them all.

Even if you somehow missed some of the worst days in the stock market, you would inevitably also miss the best days, both of which are completely unpredictable — though they often occur close to each other. This is why the wisest plan is to stick to your long-term goals and not worry about when to be in or out of the market.

Besides an amazing trip to Europe or a swanky new smart phone, what recent graduates could really use is some good old fashion advice. Time is on their side, and the sooner they can save that first paycheck toward their retirement, the better! Some financial professionals weigh in on what they’ve learned about money and investing.

If the open road is beckoning to you this summer, look no further than this detailed guide to our iconic highways. Plan to spend a couple of lazy vacation days or weeks ideally, traversing this great country of ours, discovering countless hidden gems.